Funding is the single biggest barrier standing between Vietnamese students and a place at a top overseas university — and it is also one of the most solvable. From the long-running Fulbright Vietnam program to Chevening, Australia Awards, and Erasmus Mundus, there are multiple fully-funded and partially-funded routes available to Vietnamese applicants each year. This guide covers the major ones, what they cover, and how to apply.
Overview of Major Scholarships for Vietnamese Students
| Scholarship | Destination | Level | Funding Type | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fulbright Vietnam | USA | Master's / PhD | Full funding | Active, annual |
| Chevening | UK | One-year Master's | Full funding | Active, annual |
| Australia Awards Vietnam | Australia | Master's / PhD | Full funding | Active, annual |
| Erasmus Mundus Joint Master's | EU | Master's | Full/partial funding | Active, annual |
| Endeavour Scholarships | Australia | Various | Full funding | Discontinued for new applicants — check current status before planning around it |
| VEF (Vietnam Education Foundation) | USA | PhD (STEM) | Full funding | Concluded — historical program, no longer accepting applicants |
| University merit scholarships | Multiple | Undergraduate / Master's | Partial–full tuition | Active, varies by university |
Fulbright Vietnam Program
The Fulbright Vietnamese Student Program is one of the most prestigious and long-standing scholarship routes for Vietnamese students, funding master's and PhD study at US universities.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Level | Master's and PhD |
| Covers | Tuition, living stipend, health insurance, round-trip airfare |
| English requirement | TOEFL iBT or IELTS (specific university-set minimums; strong scores expected) |
| Key requirement | Return to Vietnam for a period after the program (standard J-1 exchange visitor condition applies) |
| Application | Through the U.S. Embassy Hanoi / Fulbright Vietnam office; typically opens early in the calendar year with deadlines around May |
Fulbright is highly competitive and generally favors applicants with clear professional and academic goals tied to contributing back to Vietnam.
Chevening Scholarship (UK)
Chevening is the UK government's global scholarship program and accepts applications from Vietnam every year.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Level | One-year master's only |
| Covers | Tuition, living stipend, return airfare, and additional grants |
| IELTS requirement | UKVI Academic, typically 6.5 overall with no band below 5.5 |
| Key requirement | At least 2 years of work experience; leadership potential |
| Deadline | Applications typically open in August and close in early November for the following academic year |
Australia Awards Vietnam
Australia Awards are the Australian government's flagship scholarship program for developing countries, and Vietnam is a long-standing partner country.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Level | Master's and PhD |
| Covers | Full tuition, living allowance, establishment allowance, return airfare, health cover |
| English requirement | IELTS Academic, typically 6.5 overall (varies by course) |
| Key requirement | Development-relevant field of study; applicants often need relevant work experience |
| Application | Through the Australia Awards Vietnam office; applications generally open early in the year |
Erasmus Mundus Joint Master's Degrees (EU)
Erasmus Mundus funds joint master's programs delivered across two or more European universities, and is open to Vietnamese applicants on a competitive, merit basis.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Level | Master's (joint degree across 2+ EU countries) |
| Covers | Full tuition, monthly stipend, travel and installation allowance (full scholarships); partial-tuition-waiver options also exist |
| English requirement | IELTS or TOEFL, minimum varies by consortium (commonly IELTS 6.5–7.0) |
| Application | Direct to the specific Erasmus Mundus program consortium; deadlines vary by program, generally between November and January |
Because each Erasmus Mundus program is run by a different university consortium, requirements and deadlines differ significantly — always check the specific program's page rather than a general EU-wide deadline.
Endeavour Scholarships — Status Note
The Australian government's Endeavour Leadership Program was a well-known scholarship route for Vietnamese and other international students for many years. New Endeavour scholarship rounds have been discontinued since the program was defunded in a recent federal budget cycle. If you see Endeavour listed as an active option elsewhere, verify directly with the Australian government's scholarships portal before building an application timeline around it — program status can change, and this guide reflects the most recent known status rather than a guarantee of future rounds.
VEF (Vietnam Education Foundation) — Historical Context
The Vietnam Education Foundation was a US Congress-funded program that, for roughly a decade and a half from the early 2000s, sponsored Vietnamese students to pursue PhDs in STEM fields at American universities and brought US scholars to teach in Vietnam. VEF concluded its fellowship operations after Congress did not renew its funding, and it is no longer accepting new applicants. It is included here only because it is still frequently mentioned in older scholarship guides — Vietnamese students today should not plan around VEF as an active funding source.
University Merit Scholarships
Beyond government-funded programs, most universities in the US, UK, Australia, and Canada offer their own merit-based scholarships and tuition waivers for strong international applicants, including from Vietnam.
| Type | Typical Coverage | How to Apply |
|---|---|---|
| Dean's / Merit scholarships | 10%–50% tuition waiver | Automatic consideration on admission, or separate short application |
| Country/region-specific awards | Fixed grant or % tuition | Check university's international scholarships page |
| Graduate/research assistantships | Tuition waiver + stipend | Direct contact with academic department, typically for PhD and some master's programs |
Typical Scholarship Application Timeline
| Timeframe Before Intended Start | What to Do |
|---|---|
| 12–18 months before | Research scholarships, shortlist target programs, start building English test scores |
| 9–12 months before | Sit IELTS/TOEFL, request references, draft personal statement/research proposal |
| 6–9 months before | Submit scholarship applications (most major scholarships have deadlines in this window) |
| 3–6 months before | Interviews (Chevening, Australia Awards, and similar programs often include an interview stage) |
| 1–3 months before | Award decisions, visa applications begin once a scholarship or offer is confirmed |
Deadlines shift slightly year to year — always confirm exact dates on each scholarship's official page rather than relying on the previous year's timeline.
Building a Strong Scholarship Application
- Tailor your personal statement to each scholarship's mission — Fulbright, Chevening, and Australia Awards each emphasize a slightly different value (academic excellence, leadership potential, and development impact, respectively); a generic essay sent to all three usually underperforms
- Secure strong references early — professors and employers often need weeks of notice, especially for scholarships requiring multiple letters
- Prepare for interviews as their own skill — Chevening and Australia Awards both include interview stages where clarity and confidence matter as much as the written application
- Don't wait for a university offer to start a scholarship application — some scholarships (like Chevening) allow you to apply for the scholarship and university admission in parallel, provided you have offers by the scholarship's own deadline
- Track each scholarship's specific document requirements separately — reused documents across applications is fine, but formatting and required attachments differ by program
General Tips for Vietnamese Scholarship Applicants
- Start early — most major scholarships (Fulbright, Chevening, Australia Awards) require applications 9–12 months before the intended start date
- English test scores matter early — many scholarship applications require your IELTS/TOEFL score at the time of submission, not after admission
- Build a clear "return and contribute" narrative — government-funded scholarships (Fulbright, Chevening, Australia Awards) strongly favor applicants who articulate how their study will benefit Vietnam
- Apply to multiple scholarships in parallel — most programs do not restrict you from applying to more than one at a time
- Verify current status before committing time — scholarship programs are added, paused, and discontinued; always confirm on the official scholarship's own website before starting an application
Prepare for IELTS or TOEFL with Gabble — nearly every scholarship on this list requires a qualifying English test score as part of the application. Gabble's AI-powered Speaking and Writing practice helps Vietnamese students reach the 6.5–7.0 IELTS band (or equivalent TOEFL score) that top scholarships expect.